Episode 178
Fairy Tactician is the 178th episode of the Fairy Tail anime, and the 3rd episode of the 2014 series. The final day of the Grand Magic Games commences, while Natsu, Wendy, Mirajane and the three Exceeds go to rescue Lucy. Fairy Tactician Mavis Vermillion leads Team Fairy Tail in a surprising but effective strategy, and Princess Hisui E. Fiore condemns Lucy, Yukino and their would-be rescuers to the Abyss Palace - from where no prisoner has ever escaped. Summary Discussing their plan to rescue Lucy from her prison, Makarov and Mavis note the need for their team to fight in the Grand Magic Games as a cover while a rescue team heads out to retrieve Lucy personally. In the stadium, the competing teams are introduced one by one along with their respective point totals, with Team Fairy Tail at the top of the leader board. On their wait to rescue Lucy, the rescue team discuss saving Lucy, but Wendy asks how they will be able to enter the palace undetected. Claiming to have a good plan, Happy comes up with disguises for the Mages to wear, but his idea is quickly shelved due to their ridiculous appearances. However, Mirajane claims to have an idea of her own, much to everyone's relief. Looking back at the Domus Flau, Wendy states that they will definitely rescue their friend and wishes Erza and the rest of her team good luck in the event. Back at the stadium, amidst the cheers of the crowd, the final event is set to begin. Mato announces that the battlefield will be the entire city of Crocus, with the various teams having dispersed in order to prepare. With one point earned for each enemy defeated, and five points for each team leader beaten, any team can theoretically be the victor. Erza talks with her team, telling them that they need to win for Lucy's sake. Juvia and Gajeel state that if Natsu and the rest are able to save Lucy it would be fine, but hopes cannot be pinned on it. Following which, Gray and Laxus state that they have another reason to win: for their guildmates, who suffered while they were gone for seven years. With the survival game started, a determined Team Fairy Tail gets pumped. While the members of most teams break up in order to fight individually, Rufus and subsequently the audience, is surprised to see that the members of Team Fairy Tail have their eyes close and have not moved from their spots. Meanwhile, other teams begin battling it out. Nobarly is quickly beaten by Yuka and Toby Horhorta while The Trimens swiftly defeat Beth and Araña. However, Team Fairy Tail remains motionless, prompting their guildmates to shout at them to move, all but Mavis, who stares on them solemnly. While Lyon and Jura beat Semmes and Jäger respectively, Yuka and Toby assess their team's good position when suddenly Bacchus appears. Though the prepare to double-team him, Sting suddenly descends and smashes Team Quatro Puppy's leader into the ground, earning Team Sabertooth five points. Though the Lamia Scale Mages then plan to defeat him, the two are swiftly attacked from behind and defeated by Kagura, whom Sting avoids. However, this does not bother Minerva, who is fine with her teammates avoiding Jura and Kagura. Elsewhere, Millianna has defeated Rocker and thus eliminated Quatro Puppy from the game. Seeing that despite what has happened, Team Fairy Tail has not moved, Makarov gets angry over their inaction, that is until Mavis explains to him that they need to be calm. Revealing that over the past several days, she has been observing their opponents and has now contemplated millions of strategies, she states that things have gone as she expected and orders the team to go forth into battle. Elsewhere, Natsu and Wendy have seemingly been caught by a guard after having attempted to sneak into Mercurius. Speaking to the other guards posted, the capturing authority heads to the dungeon in order to imprison the two Mages. However, on the way it is revealed that the guard is really Mirajane, with the help of Transformation Magic, in disguise, with the Exceeds hiding in her clothes, as part of her plan to rescue Lucy. Inside the castle, Princess Hisui E. Fiore is addressed by her guards about beginning her work, something she agrees to as she decides to start the Eclipse 2 project. On the battlefield, Rufus senses the movements of the Fairy Tail Mages and attacks with Memory-Make: A Night of Falling Stars. However, thanks to Mavis, Erza, Gray, Juvia and Gajeel are able to dodge his technique while Laxus, due to the move's use of Lightning, is able to block it. While Rufus is shaken by this, the team moves out. Erza encounters and defeats Jenny while Gajeel, having beaten Eve, takes out Ren and the fleeing Hibiki is picked off by Gray. Seeing her exceptional abilities, Makarov recalls that Mavis was once known as the "Fairy Tactician" who lead her forces to victory in battle with her strategic ability. With Ichiya taken out by Jura and Sherria's defeat of Risley, Lamia Scale creates a three-way tie for first place. Seeing them, Mavis admits that she hasn't been able to calculate a way to defeat the ace of Lamia Scale. Meanwhile, the Rescue Team locates Lucy and Yukino's prison cell and proceeds to break them out. Successfully getting them out, they contemplate escaping until Lucy reveals that the kingdom has their keys and that they need to find Arcadios. Suddenly, the floor beneath the Mages opens and causes them to fall to the ground below. Landing in a strange place, the group wonders where they are when suddenly they are told that they are in Abyss Palace. Turning around, they see a projection of Princess Hisui E. Fiore tell them that as criminals, they will be condemned to death in their current location as nobody has ever escaped Abyss Palace. Closing off the communication, the princess is praised by her guards for her success while her face bears a sad look. Back at the games, Gray enters a library and finds Rufus sitting alone with a book. Having been told of his location, Gray announces his intention to defeat him. The Sabertooth Mage claims he has forgotten about Gray, and asks if he can help him remember. However, Gray says there is no need, as he will be defeated. Characters in Order of Appearance Battles & Events *Grand Magic Game (started) *Lucy Heartfilia's Rescue from Mercurius (started) Magic, Spells, and Abilities used Magic used * |Ēra}} * |Ākaibu}} * * * * ** |Aisu Meiku}} ** |Memorī Meiku}} * * * * ** *** |Za Naito}} * ** ** Spells used * * * * * Abilities used *Flight *Hand-to-Hand Combat *Swordsmanship * Weapons used * Manga & Anime Differences *Wendy and Mira's disguises are slightly altered in the anime. *Wendy takes off her mask when she is promising to rescue Lucy in the manga, while in the anime she kept it on. *There was a short conversation of Hisui with a guard before the event started in the anime. *In the anime, Cana also shouts Max and Elfman's phrase to Team Fairy Tail. *Some battles were extended in the anime. *Eve wears a black suit in the manga. *After some battles, the guild masters and guild mates are seen reacting to their respective guilds' wins and losses, though this was not present in the manga. *The scene when Natsu and Wendy are captured was extended. *Rather than Max and Elfman, it's Wakaba and Macao who questions Mavis' strategy. *When Erza battles Jenny, Jenny tries to run away, this was not shown in the manga. *In the anime rather than Gajeel finishing both Eve and Ren with an Iron Dragon's Roar, he battles Eve and Ren separately. *Alzack was the one to state that Mavis was the one who founded Fairy Tail in the manga, in the anime it was Lisanna. *There was an added scene of Darton commenting about Sherria in the anime. *Kinana and Laki were the ones to ask Mavis if she devised a plan to stop Jura in the manga, in the anime it was Lisanna and Cana. *In the manga, Happy, Carla and Lily were outside Lucy and Yukino's cell, in the anime they were inside. *After Natsu breaks the bars, one of them hits Happy in the face, though this was not shown in the manga. 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